India, UK Likely To Build HMS Queen Elizabeth-Type Supercarrier

Our Bureau

04:09 AM, May 6, 2019

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HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier

India and United Kingdom are planning to replicate and build Britain's 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth supercarrier in India.

"An Indian delegation has already visited Rosyth dockyard in Scotland where HMS Queen Elizabeth was assembled and where a second supercarrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is now being built," the Sunday Mirror reported.

The warship christened "INS Vishal" would be built in India and UK companies could supply many of the parts, if the negotiations go well.

During early April, BAE Systems had offered to build a customized Queen Elizabeth-type aircraft carrier for India during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, LIMA-19, held in Malaysia.

“The company has held talks with the Indian Navy about the potential for a Military Off the Shelf (MOTS) derivative of the Royal Navy’s 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth Class design,” a BAE Systems representative said during LIMA-19.

He added that “the design is adaptable to offer either ski-jump or catapult launch and can be modified to meet Indian Navy and local industry requirements.”

The company offered the Queen Elizabeth design for the Navy's second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2) project.

The IAC-1 is a 44,000 tonne carrier expected to be named "INS Vikrant." It is slated to begin sea trials by early 2020.

India had been planning to build "INS Vishal," a new 65,000-tonne conventionally-powered carrier that is currently in the design phase.

“It (proposed Queen Elizabeth-type carrier) is a near match to the Indian Navy’s requirement for a 65,000-tonne carrier with Integrated Full Electric Propulsion [IFEP], that could be constructed under the country’s ‘Make in India’ program,” he had said.